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Grand tour with sister in May - St.Gallen, St-Gotthard Pass

Posted by on

I’m planning a 2-week trip to Switzerland in early May with my sister. Her first time in Switzerland, my second time. We’re doing the grand tour for 13 nights. She’s not a hiker, so we’ll do sight-seeing, admiring the scenery, and just spending time together. Here’s our plan so far.

I had a recommendation to do the old road St-Gotthard Pass by bus between Andermatt and Airolo. Train to Andermatt then bus. Where/how could I fit that in? Day trip from Luzern?

I like the idea of staying in smaller St-Gallen but could it be a good option too as a day trip from Zurich or Luzern? Or keep as a
night there.

Any alternative to the Glacier Express to save time between Zermatt-St-Moritz?

Open to any feedback, suggestions, or recommendations. Thank you

  • Plan so far
    • Arrive in Zurich 8am
    • Luzern (2 nights); Luzern, Mt Pilatus (if nice weather)
    • Train to Wengen via Interlaken
    • Wengen (3 nights); Murren, Gimmelwald, Schilthorn, Jungfraujoch
    • Train to Interlaken then Golden Pass Express to Montreux
    • Montreux (3 nights); Lausanne, Chateau Sillion, Lavaux, Gruyeres, maybe Bern or Geneva
    • Train Montreux to Zermatt
    • Zermatt (1 night); Gornergrat
    • Glacier Express Zermatt to St-Moritz
    • Pontresina (1 night)
    • Bernina Express (or regular) to Chur, regular train Chur to St-Gallen
    • St-Gallen (1 night); Abbey Library of Saint Gallen, Textile museum next morning then
    • Train on the Lake Constance Line from Saint Gallen-Zurich
    • Zurich (2 nights); city tour
  • Fly out early morning
Posted by
7300 posts

Hi,
The first part of your plan looks good to me but the end is hectic.
Zermatt deserves 2 nights to make the most of it, and so does Pontresina. I would skip St Gallen accordingly, and keep Zurich to 1 night at the end, or if you prefer, skip Zurich and stay 1 night in St Gallen from where the airport is easy to reach.

Posted by
2493 posts

The bus over the Gotthard only starts runing on May 22nd, so you are to early for that.

There is no point in taking the Bernina Express from Pontressina back to Chur, other than to avoid a change of trains. The Bernina Railway runs the other direction (to Tirano). There are several trains named "Bernina Express". The one to Chur is just an extension over the Abula line to Chur.

I would just drop Zurich. Spend more time in Zermatt and Pontressina. Travel directly to the airport for your flight out from st. Gallen.

Posted by
33818 posts

Pontresina (1 night)

Bernina Express (or regular) to Chur, regular train Chur to St-Gallen

I take that you have no interest in the giant open-air spiral or the lakes or the train running in the middle of the roads through towns at the southern end of the Bernina line near Tirano?

Posted by
2 posts

Thank you for your suggestions.

OK that takes care of the St-Gotthard question. Maybe another time in summer :-)

We'd like to keep St.Gallens as we do want to see the library. Is doing Pontresina-St.Gallens (regular train 4.5 h) the best option to add St.Gallens?

We can increase Pontresina to 2 nights and reduce Zurich to 1 night instead to have more flexibility in the second part.

Thank you

Posted by
7300 posts

Yes, Pontresina to St Gallen is an easy train trip. It takes as little as 3.5 hours according to the SBB schedule.

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